Homeward Bound
by Servamp of Mischief
Summary: After A fight between Eve and Servamp, Kuro is catnapped by a stranger. Now left without his contract item and stuck in cat form, Kuro must go though many obstacles, while at the same time running away from his capture. Will Kuro be able to find Mahiru before its too late or will they both suffer the consequences of being separated.
1. Chapter 1: Separated

Homeward Bound Chapter

 **Chapter 1: Separated**

"I already told you I'm sorry Mahiru," said the black cat on his master's shoulder almost pleadingly. "Can't you find it in your heart to forgive a cute little pet like me?"

"Well it's your own damn fault, Kuro!" Mahiru yelled hot temporally at the cat, earning a few odd stares from bystanders. He grimaced and lowered his voice to a whisper, "what part of no late night video games don't you understand! It was a simple order,  
but _no_ you just had to be up all night playing that thing and now the there's a mess in my living room. Not to mention a ruined PS3"

" _If you haven't decided to barge in yelling when I was drinking cola, I wouldn't have accidentally spilled it all over…"_ Kuro complained in his head, he would of voiced it, but with his Eve's mood now it would start another one sided argument  
that he wants no part of. "So is that why your dragging me from place to place. To buy a new PS3."

Although Kuro tried to make it sound like he was uninterested, the human knew better than to think that the vampire didn't care about his video games, after all, he saw Kuro's Christmas list included all the latest video games.

"No"

"What!" Kuro uncharacteristically cried in shock, almost falling off Mahiru's shoulder.

Mahiru sighed in exasperation before answering, " I can't afford a new one so you would either have to holdout for a couple of months or get a job."

"But…"

"No buts about it Kuro," he said firmly before continuing. "As for the dragging you around part, we need more food and supplies, and our regular convenience stores are closed so we're going to have to find another one."

With a low grumble of "what a pain," Kuro decided to give up on this losing battle and sleep.

* * *

"Kuro wake up, I need you to wait out here"

The kitten soon felt himself being jostled awake by none other than his Eve. Cracking open one of his red eyes he looked to the boy.

"This is the only open store I could find with the things I need so, but…"

"They don't allow cute pets like me inside," Kuro finished for him and gave the sunlit sidewalk an irritated glare. "Can't deal… Maybe we should go shopping some other time."

"what?!" Mahiru yelled into his already sore ears from the other yelling he got that day, he used his paws to cover them before they get more damage. Seeing that he got strange looks again, Mahiru lowered his voice to an irked hiss, "After spending the  
whole morning looking for a place to buy supplies, you decide now to back out now! Is it because you can't go inside?"

"It's not because of that…" the Servamp of Sloth defended. It really wasn't, he wouldn't mind waiting outside, under the shade of the mailbox in front of the store, it was that he had a bad feeling that something would happen the moment him and Mahiru  
got separated.

"You do know we're out of ramen and cola right?" Mahiru was starting to become more hotheaded. Kuro knew that if he doesn't cool him down soon then Mahiru would make rash choices.

" _I better explain to him before things get out of hand. Knowing Mahiru, he wouldn't listen to reason when riled up._ " The black kitten sighed before starting his explanation.

"I just have a feeling… hay! Mahiru!" the cat yelped when his Eve suddenly grabbed him and placed him in the mailbox's shade. Kuro glared at Mahiru's back as the boy was going in the store. "Mahiru!" he called out, not caring if people heard him, which  
luckily they didn't, as got up to go after him.

"Don't come in Kuro," Mahiru ordered. At this the Servamp obediently sat down with an annoyed twitch in his eye. What was more exhausting than following orders was disobeying them, since it takes energy that he doesn't have the motivation to find. It's  
too late for explanations now.

With that the Eve of Sloth went into the store, leaving the vampire cat by himself in the only shady spot by the store. Red eyes glared at his Eve a while longer before scanning the surrounding area. Seeing that there's no danger for now Kuro layer down  
and tried to relax himself, but the uneasy feeling in his stomach never left.

"This is such a pain I could just die," he mumbled to himself and placed his head on his paws. He wished that gut feeling would be wrong and nothing happens today, but as a black cat bad things are bound to happen.

After waiting for about five minutes, or was it ten, he couldn't tell anymore. All he could hear is the winds lullaby, making his eyelids heavy. Man he was tired, and with little to no sleep last night, his mind was screaming at him to fall asleep. He  
tried to will himself not to, but within a few minutes of feebly staying awake, sleep finally claimed him.

* * *

"About time the furball fell asleep," a man said to himself as he stepped out of the shadowed alleyway. "Almost thought that I would have to use a tranquilizer on the thing." He has been waiting patiently for the cat to fall asleep, so it would be easier  
to capture his pray without causing a scene.

He made his way to the sleeping kitten and kneeled on one leg to get a better look. "Oh well it will be worth it with the rewards I'll get from you," he laughed lowly as his hands went to remove the red collar. At first the cat flinched at the unfamiliar  
contact, but then relaxed so the man can continue.

With experienced skill the collar and bell were removed from the kitty's neck. Smiling at himself, he then proceeded to carefully lift the now collarless cat, being sure that it wouldn't wake up, and calmly walked away with the black cat like he owned  
it.

Heading back to the alley the man glanced back at the store Mahiru was in, then to the sleeping kitten in his arms. "It was a pleasure doing business with you kid," he said before, tossing the bell to the ground, making it jingle in protest, and slinking  
back into the alley's darkness with a large smirk.

* * *

Mahiru felt a sudden chill go down his spine as he was paying for the food and supplies in the store. His eyes went to the opaque glass door, a small pang went through his chest when he thought about the fight he had with Kuro.

" _I hope Kuro is alright… I was a bit harsh on him this morning, and I let my temper get the better of me again…"_ Mahiru thought and looked at all the Raman and potato chip bags he was buying. _"Maybe this would make it up to him?"_

After all Kuro was still morning over the destroyed PS3, if Mahiru took away his favorite food then there's no doubt that the vampire would Be upset. Sometimes he wonders how Kuro can put up with his overbearing personality and the way he threw the Servamp  
into fights that he wanted to avoid. But no matter how lazy and annoying Kuro can be, he was always there for Mahiru when he needed it.

He thanked the cashier and went out the store with his bags. The bags are heavy, it felt like his arms fall off if he had to carry them home, it probably wouldn't hurt to ask the vampire to help him for the last time today and let him take the rest of  
the day off.

"Hey Kuro you mind helping me out with this," Mahiru asked nicely, there was no response. "…Kuro?" looking confused at the lack of response, the black cat was not in the shade of the mailbox. It was strange, he knew that Kuro would wait for him as long  
as he doesn't have to wait in the sun. He scanned for him until his eyes saw something shiny by the alleyway. The boy set the heavy bags down to the side and went to investigate what it was.

He gasped and picked the item up with trembling hands. It was Kuro's cat bell, panic and worry surged through his chest at the thought of what happened to his missing partner. Holding the bell with one hand he quickly searched his pocket for his phone,  
with still trembling hands he dialed the person he knew would help him.

"Misono! Kuro's missing!"

* * *

"Mr. Mr. Please wake up!" a young voice meowed as they were shaking him awake.

Red eyes groggily opened to see an odd eyed gray tabby kitten smaller than him hovering over him. By the sound of their voice it must be a girl that's about three or four months old. Her gray white coat had a black swirl pattern. She met his withher  
odd blue and green eyes. The kid smiled at him and jumped happily.

"Your OK! Your OK! I was worried the bad human did something to you. What's your name Mr.?"

she spoke quickly with energy he could only dream of having. Kuro only looked at her confused to what she was talking about. What bad human and where is he? He ignored the hyperactive kitten for now and scanned his surroundings with an irritated glare.  
From what he gathered, Kuro concluded that he's in a small cage, so that rules out turning into human form and clawing out, the cage is in a dank basement with a disgusting odor. He yelped when the kid suddenly bit him in the ear.

"Ow! What was that for?!" he asked while nursing his already abused ear.

"That was for ignoring me Mr. I asked for your name or are you a stray?" her green and blue eyes stared into his crimson eyes intensely, daring him to ignore her again.

" _And here I thought Mahiru had a short fuse…"_ he mused before answering, "my name is Kuro and no I'm not a stray I have an _owner_ if you could call it that."

"OK! My name is Takaji! But you can call me Taka?" she said happily as she watched her cellmate with curious mismatched eyes. "What you doing?"

The kid observed him as Kuro laid down lazily like he didn't care about his situation. He may seem lazy but the gears in Sleepy Ash's head were turning with all sorts of escape plans that might guarantee his escape. First he needs to gather information  
and assess what his next action would be. He looked at the kid and sighed.

"Do you know where we are and who brought me here?" he asked coldly. At first Taka was hesitant to answer, he saw a flash of fear in her eyes, her demeanor changed dramatically to a quivering child. As much as he wanted to get information, making her  
cry would not be worth it. Kuro opened his mouth to tell her that she didn't have to answer when she unexpectedly rammed into him and nuzzled his neck for comfort.

"This place, that man there horrible… I want to go home!" her sniffles were muffled by his black fur. Kuro watching the kid with a guilty expression, he felt awful for thinking of leaving the kid for his own escape, this kid has obviously been through  
a lot. It was exhausting but leaving this kid would not be good for his already plagued conscious. Like Mahiru always says, ' _it's simpler to help someone than to regret it later_ '.

"Do you want to leave this place?" he said seriously. She gave him a confused look, like she didn't understand what he just asked. "Do you want to go back home?" he repeated. Taka stared deeply into Kuro's eyes for any sign of lie, he was being completely  
honest.

She nodded hesitantly, while Kuro gave one of his rare smiles.

"Well, well I see that you made yourself at home kitty…" came a voice from the open basement door. Kuro glared at the direction of the voice.

* * *

 **Well here's the first chapter and I hope you like it. If you read my other Servamp story than you can guess that there will be some Servamp theories that I'll be exploring through this fanfic like what would happen if a Servamp is away from their contract item since I've noticed that they always have it on them. And next chapter will tell you that there's more to Kuro's capture than you think. And by the way this is after the war with Tsubaki. Don't forget to review and favorite!**

 **On to the Preview!**

 _Chapter 2: High Stakes_

 _"Kuro tried to warn me… that something bad would happen and I… ignored him"_

 _"Lily! Don't strip!"_

 _"Tehe, I was only trying to lighten the mood, after all fighting won't get us any closer to finding Nii-san"_

 _"I saw that man before... He asked me about Kuro..."_

 _Rare Cat Auction: Black Cat With Red Eyes_


	2. Chapter 2: High Stakes

Mahiru waited on a bench near by the store. The bags were set aside by his feet. He explained everything that happened to Misono and was told to wait there until the other Eve arrived. His hands were holding Kuro's cat bell on his lap, staring at it with a guilty expression.

" _Kuro tried to warn me… that something bad would happen and I… ignored him"_

An image of Kuro's annoyed and hurt eyes staring back at him when Mahiru ordered him to stay came to mind. The Eve of Sloth felt like an idiot for disregarding his partner and now the Servamp is paying the price for his Eve's incompetence. Mahiru can only hope that they find him before something bad happens . His thoughts were cut off by the sound of wheels becoming louder.

A fast driving limousine made a screeching stop by the store in a way that it almost fell on its side, startling Mahiru. He breathed a sigh of relief when the limo went back to its four wheels, only the Alisuin family driver is crazy enough to pull a stunt like that. A purple haired boy followed blond man exited the limo.

"Dodo grab Shirota's bags and put them in the trunk!" the Eve of Lust barked, earning a witty comeback from said driver, he glared at him before turning to Mahiru with an even more intense glare. "Shirota you bastard! How can you lose your Servamp!" the brown haired boy expected this from his callus friend, he remembered the long lecture on the phone.

"I'm sor-"

"Now, now Misono no need to get so riled up, I'm sure Mahiru wouldn't do such a thing purposely…" the blond man soothed His Eve as he sent the boy an apologetic smile. His hand went to strip off his shirt.

"Lily! Don't strip!" Misono smacked his Servamp before he finished the act.

"Tehe, I was only trying to lighten the mood, after all fighting won't get us any closer to finding Nii-san" Lily advised cheerily, with a hint of seriousness at the end.

Knowing what he meant by that, Misono decided to apologize, "sorry Shirota… it's just that if an Eve and Servamp are apart for too long you would surely die and who knows what would happen to Sloth without his contract item…" it was true that Misono was worried for his friends life, but his brash nature usually gets the better of him. Mahiru clapped his hand on Misono's shoulder and gave a bright smile.

"it's alright Misono, but I know that I'm still at fault here." He looked down, "I should of listened to Kuro, but I let my temper get ahead of me again. So you'll help me find him so I can apologize to him, right?"

Misono nodded nervously, "s-sure what are friends for…"

Lily smiled at his Eve as Dodo finished putting away the bags. "Hey cow-lick! I'm going to look if this place has footage of what happened while you guys look for a trail," the driver yelled as he went in the store, ignoring the angry threats of being fired from the small boy.

The Servamp of Lust tried to futility to conceal his laughs with his hand, earning a betrayed 'Lily!' from his Eve. "Now Mahiru would you kindly show us where you found Nii-san's contract item?" he asked.

"Y-yeah sure" he answered nervously while Lily pushed him away from the ranting boy and to the alley where he found Kuro's bell.

The second youngest Servamp inspected the spot where the bell has been and turned to Mahiru with a serious look in his red eyes. He held out his hand to Mahiru, "may I see the contract item" he asked. The boy quickly took the bell out of his jacket pocket and handed it to him. Lily grasped the precious item in his hand and closed his eyes in concentration. "About how long has it been since you've last seen Sleepy Ash?" He asked with eyes still closed.

Mahiru tried to estimate how long he's at the store and added that to the time he had to wait for Misono. "let's see I was at the store for about twenty minutes and I waited for you guys for thirty I think," he answered as he rubbed his neck nervously. _"I hope I didn't overestimate things"_

Misono looked at Mahiru then to Lily, "in estimated time fifty minutes, maybe more, it wouldn't give us much room to work with. What do you say Lily?"

"It's faint but I'll manage with that…"

Mahiru was confused, he didn't know what they where talking about and was going to asked. The words never left his lips as a glittery mist with pink diamonds suddenly surrounded Lily and spread throughout the alley. His eyes sought out Misono's for answers who gave him a wait and see look.

The diamonds distorted and gathered to create a holographic like image of the alley. Mahiru gaped at their holographic surroundings in wonder while Misono smiled proudly at his Servamp's skill with illusions. Seconds passed as a glitching black figure walked into the alley looking like the screen of a malfunctioning TV, the only thing visible on him was the sleeping Kuro in his arms and a bell in his hand. The Eve of Sloth watched his sleeping partner worriedly, he knew that Kuro can be a heavy sleeper when he wanted to be but the vampire is usually more alert.

"Since the bell belongs to Nii-san, we can only see him and the item," Lily said as he observed the hologram.

Mahiru nodded and watched the flickering man closely. The man glanced back at the store Mahiru was in, then to the sleeping kitten in his arms. What he said next made a chill run down the Eve's spin.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you kid," he chuckled before, tossing the bell to the ground. The man then walked of with a grin that would put Greed to shame.

The image started to shatter as the man walked away with Kuro in his arms. Mahiru demanded to be shown more, but only got a sad nod of no from the Lust pair. They knew that once the illusion breaks then there's no recovering it or showing it again, they were lucky to even get that much. They stood in silence, ordering there thoughts, with worried expressions on their faces.

Lily was greatly concerned for his eldest brother and feared the worst if they don't find him in time and return his contract item. It was unheard of for a Servamp to loose them, by nature they were fiercely protective of them and if they grow weak without their Eves nearby or don't drink enough blood. The second youngest Servamp narrowed his eyes at that thought, after all he and his other siblings knew Sleepy Ash's least than healthy lack of appetite for blood and how he would rather starve or gauge his hunger with tons of ramen. That plus no contract item and Eve can spell disaster for a Servamp.

Misono's mind was on how they can reunite the Sloth pair as quickly as possible. Sure he didn't want anything bad to happen to the annoying, lazy Servamp, but he cared more about Mahiru's well being than the vampire. Although he never experienced it he knew that for an Eve and Servamp being separated can leave the Eve extremely fatigued and pained in six hours and becomes deadly once the twelve hour limit is up. His strategic mind theorized that Kuro, with as powerful as he is, would be fine through the ordeal, but from the look in Lily's eyes he could tell that this matter could be more serious than that, since he only shows that much concern for him and when it comes to his family.

Meanwhile Mahiru was thinking about the man who catnapped Kuro, something about his voice seemed familiar to him like he heard it before. He tried to search his memory for any sort of connection, but nothing came to mind at the moment. His thoughts wondered again to the hurt expression in Kuro's eyes, it was the same pained look he got when he ordered him to fight Hegan. It made him feel guilty that he caused Kuro pain and didn't treat him like a partner at that time. He shook his head. _"No. I'm going to find Kuro and make it up to him. I have to apologize."_ The Eve of Sloth said.

Misono broke the silence with his usual commanding voice. "Alright we should form a plan on how to retrieve Sloth, first we must gather any information we can find on this person and his motives. Once Dodo finishes with the footage we might see who we're dealing with."

"Already done runt…"

Shaking with rage Misono was about rant at the smart mouthed chauffeur, but was pushed to the side by Lily and Mahiru running past him to Dodo before he could utter a word. The man in question stood at the entrance of the alley with a computer balanced in one are while the other inserted a flash drive in it. The Eve of Lust was sill steaming when he joined to watch a video that popped up from the flash drive, at least the Alisuin employee had some decency to present the screen in a what that _all_ three of them can watch without comment.

From the angle of the camera they couldn't see the black cat hidden behind the shady mailbox, but they have a clear view of a Sandy blond haired man with a goatee and casual clothing under a thin, tan jacket walking up to it. Mahiru's eyes widened. He saw that man before but never knew him personally. He looked closely as the man casually pick up Kuro and walked off screen like it was nothing, which angered him considering that it was his cat the man stole.

"… I saw that man before…" Mahiru voiced, earning him interested looks from the others.

"Do you know who he is?" Lily asked

"No but I see him sometimes when I walk home from school and one time he asked me about Kuro." He folded his arms as he concentrated on the normal conversation that could easily be forgotten. "He asked simple questions that I usually get concerning Kuro like what breed he is or where he came from. That's all."

"Name?" said Misono, the boy shook his head. With a curse Misono started to contemplate their next action, "at least we have an idea of what our culprit looks, now all we need to do is find more information. Dodo find-"

"Way ahead of you" he smirked. Misono felt his chest deflate as his moment was ruined yet again. If the indigo haired man wasn't so useful he would have been fired a long time ago. Lily chuckled a bit and placed a calming hand on his Eve's shoulder. Dodo tapped a few buttons and displayed information on the man and a news article, but the third page was what really made their eyes widen.

"The man's name is Hanzo, Shun after I found that I searched for any connections or websites under his name and found this hidden under codes and passwords"

There was a picture of Kuro glaring intensely inside a cage with an odd eyed cat behind him. With bold letters the title above the image read:

 **Rare Cat Auction: Black Cat With Red Eyes**

It was a black market auction site for exotic animals and rare pets. Mahiru would of awed at the tenacity and skill of his rich friends staff if didn't feel utterly disgusted that his Servamp ended in a situation like this and fears that he might be sold so he can serve some horrible person that hungers power. He looked to Lily who had a mixture of emotions in his red eyes; concern, anger, disgust, recognition, and hatred. Misono saw this too and was about to ask, but the Servamp of Lust beat him to it.

"The highest bidders on the list are members of C3's American branch, if I recall past conversations I had with Old Child" he said with venom as he pointed at the highest bidders list.

* * *

 **The plot thickens! What would happen to a Servamp without contract item and their Eve, and will they find Kuro in time? Next chapter will elaborate further on who the man is and tell you why C3's American branch wants Kuro. next time things really heat up as every action has a consequence. Thank you for reading and don't forget to review and follow!**

 **Preview**

 _Chapter 3: Limitations_

 _"Looks like I have to break you before you go to your new owner"_

 _"If we don't find Nii-san soon then there's a possibility that he will be lost forever"_

 _"Kuro we're coming! Just hang on a big longer."_


	3. Chapter 3: Limitations

Kuro glared at the sandy blond man staring down at him as Taka curled into a small ball behind him, looking anywhere but. The man just stared at them, amused, with a glint in his black eyes that Kuro couldn't identify, but it made his fur stand on end.

"They were right, blood red eyes is a very uncommon trait for cats and that strange tail makes you look more exotic" he muttered with a grin as he pulled out a camera and took a quick picture.

Kuro yowled at the sudden flash and shut his eyes. Once his eyes adjusted he opened them, they sting, but still glared holes at the back of the man's head who was already starting to upload the image in a balky computer. He could hear Taka's low sigh  
of relief at the increased distance between them an the man, like she was holding her breath the whole time. he turned to her as she uncurled.

"This is the fastest that man has put someone up for sale…" she said quietly then shuddered, "usually they'd be _conditioned_ first"

The older cat nodded knowing what she meant by the way she acted and spoke. In his long life he knew that encounters like this almost always had pain and extreme discipline. This kid looked like she endured both for a long time.

" _I've been with Mahiru for way too long if I'm starting to care for others outside my family"_ at the thought of his Eve he frowned, " _I can't stay here, Mahiru's life will be on danger."_

His thoughts were cut off at the sound of footsteps closing in and Taka going back to her hiding place behind him. The feeling of eyes on him made a growl want to form in his throat. Kuro met the man's stare with a defiant scowl that said, 'I won't play  
along with your game'. This has just made the man grin more.

"I've never seen the bidding go up so fast for an animal, you must be special" he said as he returned the scowl with a glare that demanded submission. Kuro hissed in reply and Taka pressed herself closer to him. The man inched closer, gloved hands ready  
to open the cage and reach in.

"Looks like I have to _break_ you before you go to your new owner" the man said with disgusting glee.

One gloved hand swung open the cage door while the other went to grab the black cat quickly. The act wasn't fast enough. Kuro bit down on the thick glove, the sharp fangs digging into flesh. With it also came blood.

A sudden wave of dizziness and nausea came over the Servamp, making him too unfocused to notice the other hand grab him painfully by the scruff and being lifted. He heard a mumble of 'claws' and 'American shipment' but the mental exhaustion wouldn't allow  
him to pay attention, he can almost hear his inner demon laughing at how pathetic he was being.

Soon he felt ice cold metal nip at his paws as well as a tight collar was placed around his neck. Something akin to dread dawned him when he finally noticed that something important to him is not with him.

" _My bell…_ "

Red eyes scanned the room for any sign of it, but couldn't locate it, eventually they set on the man sorting through various objects on a table a bit away from the one he's on. Kuro's eyes widened when he saw the man walk back with some tools. The vampire  
cat knew what they were but what they would be used for made anxiety rise. He tried to tug at the leases which kept him tethered to the middle.

"Well kitty let's begin shall we?" the man said, testing a pair of pliers. The metal claws clacking with promise and smeared, crusty blood.

* * *

The limousine ride was fairly quiet with the occasional background noise of other cars driving by. Dodo was driving to the destination he provided while Misono and Lily were going over the information on the laptop and Mahiru was absently looking out  
the tinted windows.

" _If we don't find Nii-san soon then there's a possibility that he will be lost forever"_ Lily's words echoed in the brown haired boys head as he thought about the explanation he was given about C3's American branch.

 **Flashback**

"C3? But I thought they made a truce with Servamps, so why would they want Kuro?..." Mahiru asked fervently. Misono too was confused as he gave his Servamp a look for him to continue.

Lily cleared his throat before continuing. "True we are at peace with C3's Asian branch and are in tense agreements with others, but… the American branch is the most aggressive with us vampires, we even warn our subclass' of the dangers." He explained  
then his eyes narrowed, "if they succeed in obtaining Sleepy Ash, not only would it be a declaration of war against all vampires, but there's a possibility -despite our immortality- we will never see Nii-san again."

The news hit the young Eves like bricks, they were shocked by how much was depending on this rescue mission, it lasted for a moment before Misono coughed into his hand to gain their attention.

"All we have to do is find Sloth before he is shipped off right?" he asked, smirking confidently, "Well what are we waiting for let's get moving?! Time is of the essence! Dodo start the car!"

"Whatever you say runt," he deadpanned as he shut the laptop and handed it over to Lily. Misono sent a warning glare, bit didn't protest while they all entered the limo.

 **(End Flashback)**

Mahiru played the conversation over and over in his mind. He knows what separation would mean for him and as much as death scared him, he couldn't bring himself to think selfishly, not when Kuro and his siblings are the ones who will be suffering the  
most. The thought of Kuro being taken away from his siblings was too much. Especially when the lazy vampire was starting to take responsibility and be there for them like he should as the eldest, even Tsubaki developed a brother complex for Kuro.  
No doubt the Servamps would start war against C3 to rescue him and with the Servamp of Melancholy as an ally now bloodshed is a guarantee.

"-hiru…"

" _No! We have to find Kuro before it comes to that. I have to apologize and make thinks right with him!"_ he clenched his fist and tried to expel the negative thoughts from his head.

"Mahiru."

"Oi bastard!"

His head snapped to the side to look at Misono and Lily who had concern in their eyes. "O-oh, sorry guys I was spacing out. " Mahiru rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "you were saying."

"I wanted to ask how often does brother drink blood," Lily spoke, concern still evident in his orbs. This backtracked Mahiru a bit, trying to remember the last time; since Kuro avoids blood like the plague.

"um… two months ago, I think. Every time I offer him blood, Kuro would often deny it and insist that he doesn't want any."

"I see… well that would explain why he was easily taken…" his eyes narrowed, "you see blood is like our energy that we need to replenish regularly and for a Servamp who spent so long without blood..." He cut himself off, but Mahiru knew what he wanted  
to say.

"That explains why Kuro was taking in so much junk food and sleeping more lately..." his eyebrow twitched at his partner's lack of care to tell him anything important. It pissed the Eve off that Kuro wouldn't tell him anything concerning his health. "I'm  
going to give that cat a stern talking to when he comes back!"

"Yes your not going to be the only one!~" Lily laughed hopefully.

"Looks like that lecture will come sooner than expected," Misono added while reading the drivers silent nod, "according to Dodo were about ten minutes away." This earned a joyous laugh from Lilly and a confused stare from Mahiru, but he paid no head as  
he smirked he typical high and mighty smirk.

" _Kuro we're coming! Just hang on a bit longer."_

* * *

Kuro's entire body felt numb and pained, most of it coming from his paws. He can't count how long that horrid human took ripping out his claws, furthering his pain every time he resisted or tried to bite. The bastard didn't even bother to clean the blood  
when finished and left him still leashed to the metal table. For a while Kuro tried to transform into human form but couldn't, so he gave up on that thought and redirected what's left of his energy to regenerate his claws.

" _Almost there… one more…"_ he winced a little at the last claw's painful comeback. After all his claws came back he forced himself up and experimentally tugged on the leashes that tethered him to the table. " _no good…"_ both ends were tied  
to either sides of the table so it was impossible to get to either of them. In cat form he doesn't have as much strength as his human form so he cant just rip them off. He was utterly powerless like this.

"Kuro, Kuro! Are you o-okay?!" A fearful voice called out to him.

He almost forgot about Taka. Kuro turned to the cage that she was in. His eyes widened slightly at finding that the door was left open.

" _she could of gotten away."_ He would of said something about it, if he hadn't seen the fear in her eyes, and the way she stayed curled up in the corner. It was almost heartbreaking, bye even so he had to get out of here and back to Mahiru. "I've  
been better… listen Taka can you help me take off this leash?" he asked gently, watching as she trembled more and near hyperventilating.

"B-but I… I can't! If I-I do that man will p-punish me again… I don't want t-that! Please don't make me!?" she whimpered, curling into herself tighter.

"Is staying here better than trying to gain freedom? I promised I would get you out of here with me and will, but I can't do that if you don't help me…" Kuro said softly. He pitied that someone so young would have to go through terrible things and felt  
more resent towards humans. This is another example of their cruelty and why he prefers to be a cat.

"please I-I…"

"If you don't, you and me might never see _home_ again." His voice took a more big brother tone that he hasn't used in a while. That seemed to snap Taka out of her fear enough for her to snap her mouth shut and hesitantly nod. The kid swallowed heavily  
and with her shaky legs she got up on a crouched stand as she crawled out of the cage and to the table. "That's it Taka… now jump." She did and almost panicked at the blood on the table. "Taka! Focus on my voice and don't think about your surroundings…"  
Kuro instructed. His eyes softened encouragingly at her. The young kitten's breaths were still ragged, but her strides had more purpose to them when she got closer to the to the peg Holding the knotted end of one leashes. For a moment Taka took a  
reluctant step back, seaming to rethink her actions.

Her terrified mismatched eyes searched for Kuro's for support, like a scared child looking for help. His comforting red orbs, although they still held pain, have unbreakable strength in them that gave Taka a feeling that she's safe with him. She doesn't  
know from where this feeling is coming from, but somewhere inside her told here that she can trust Kuro and that he will get her out of this nightmare. Taking a deep breath and turned back to the knot. If she could do this then she could leave this  
place. Her jaw clamped down on the sturdy leather knot and pulled.

" _Ok Taka deep breaths, Kuro needs you to do this! You just have to pull a little more and…"_ she commanded herself, fighting the tension of the leather. With much effort the knot gave out eventually and fell limply on the table. "I-I did it…" Taka  
stuttered in disbelief, " _I broke a rule!_ " to the kitten's surprise that thought came out exited instead of fear like it would usually be.

"Taka!" Kuro yelled.

"Why you little! Get away from there!"

Kuro reacted quickly, clawing the hand that reached to hurt the kid. This made the man loose his balance and knock the table over, not only from the pain, but also the shock that can be seen in his eyes. Both cats soon found the cold metal being pulled  
from under them. Red eyes were shut as his body met the brutally hard floor and a screeching clang of metal assaulted his ears, too close for comfort. He coughed at the air knocked out of his lungs and wearily opened his eyes.

" _That would have been messy… and painful…."_

Nearly at the tip of his black nose was the fallen table, a few crucial inches from undoubtedly crushing his small head. He knew he would live, but he rather not end up like a bloody puddle on the floor. One good thing from it was that the sharp edges  
from the table fell on the leash and snapped the remaining leash off him, for that Kuro was grateful. A pained, angry groan snapped the Servamp's attention back to the matter at hand, mud brown eyes met his with a clear promise of punishment, to which  
he shot back with equal spite. The only thing keeping the man from surging forward was the table barricade between them.

Red eyes lingered to the open basement door and the whimpering kid not far. Kuro was aware of the ache in his body and slight tremble in his legs as he tried to get up, but he still had enough adrenaline to dodge the hand coming at him and grab Taka by  
the scruff with his teeth. She yelped in surprise but didn't complain.

"Get back here! Your not getting away!"

Furious yells and the crash of something heavy can be heard when the black cat burst out the door. For a moment he risked peeking over his shoulder In to see how close behind. Kuro lost sight of the rotten door frame when he rounded the corner to what  
might be the living room. Loud footfalls still echoed from the lower stairs.

Taka whimpered and curled up more into herself by the second. "K-Kuro…?" she chocked.

" _I know… "_

They were trapped. There was no openings for them to escape through.

* * *

 **Welp my loyal readers here's my third chapter hope you enjoyed it, sorry I couldn't update sooner but test finals got me stressed and gave me almost no time to write (except for writing test) I feel like I'm surviving the war zone that's called highschool TT-TT.**

 **Well enough of my sob story! Kuro was so close to escaping here but don't worry he won't be caught so easily. Now we find that his blood refusal made him weak and can't transform to human form because of the lack of energy, but there's another reason than that. Can you guess? Will Kuro find a way out of this? Can Mahiru get to him in time? And what does C3 want with Kuro? find out on the next chapter! Don't forget to review and follow! Seriously review please how am I supposed to know it's a good story if you don't give me you opinion on this!~ 3**

 **Preview? Sorry for getting your hopes up for the last preview if you already read it, I tried to write it but a lotof things didn't make sense and I wasexperiencing a bit of a writers block. Don't worry I'll try to finish this chapter soon I'll just be changing some things and trying to make it work. One thing I will confirm you in is that I don't plan on giving up this story until Kuro is safely in Mahiru's arms again! Next chapter might be up tommarow if I'm lucky.**  
/


	4. Chapter 4: The Call

Red orbs searched desperately, his mind raced to find any means of escape. He doesn't know whether to curse his luck or some higher force that finds this sick game entertaining. Kuro suppressed a growl that tried to creep up on his throat. He can't let others down now when he's this close! Mahiru, his siblings and Taka are counting on him, which is more than the Servamp thinks he deserves.

"Kuro! He's coming closer!" the kid whimpered and trembling in his grip. "…please…"

The pounding of foot steps were in rhythm with his beating heart that drummed painfully. So close to tuning the corner of the hall way and snatching their freedom. Again Kuro grew desperate and searched for a way out or somewhere to hid, but there's nearly nothing in the run down living room; doors were closed, there's nothing but a couch that provides little cover, a bulky TV, and an old lamp near a locked window. Wait he lamp! Yes he could use that, shaking small legs started to move again, finding the force to gain momentum and ram into the lamp. It tilted backwards and crashed through the window.

"You little shit your going to pay!" a yell was heard behind him, their captor must of already turned the corner.

Without a moment's wait Kuro climbed the lamp and jumped out to the shards on the pavement. It hurt, blood painted the pavement, but he had to move fast. Ignore the pain in his paws he take advantage of the increased distance between them and the man. He ran, the remaining leash on him flapping behind him as he carried Taka away from there.

Away from the man and find Mahiru.

* * *

 **Ten minutes later**

"D-damn bastard! He got away!" Misono spat, inspecting the bloodied broken glass outside Hanzo's warn down flat with his Servamp.

"On the bright side Nii-san must of gotten away… I'm sure of it" the second youngest Servamp tried, smiling halfheartedly. He wanted to not show his inner rage in from of the young Eves, but he couldn't keep the hands he has hidden behind his back from shaking in malice, his need to spill blood of the ones threatening to break his family apart. The image of his brothers blood and fur decorated on the cold metal table was too much. Luckily Misono felt his inner turmoil and dragged him out of the house and to the shade where the trail is.

"With what I've seen and with logic, I believe that this Hanzo bastard doesn't know with what he's dealing with. Seriously if he was involved with C3 then why put Sleepy Ash in an auction like any other animal." The Eve explained, hopping to ease some stress.

"Yeah that is true…" Lily sighed, "but I wouldn't put it past C3's American Branch to somehow involve themselves sooner or later, they would do anything in their power to get what they want." He stared at the blood trail for a bit longer before turning worried red eyes to the door to the house. "Misono?"

"yeah I know," sighing exasperatedly, "I'll go get him"

* * *

Mahiru was leaning heavily on the basement wall. Teeth gritted as he stared at the turned over table painted in Kuro's blood and fur. His hand tightened around the collar in his grasp, emitting a small jingle at the slightest movement. Kuro was here, he was in pain and alone with a man that only cares about using him for his own greed. Kuro was here and he, his Eve, can't feel the slightest tinge of where his Servamp is or how he's doing right now like he used to.

"If I listened to Kuro this wouldn't of happened. I should of noticed something was wrong, I should've payed more attention to Kuro and made him drink blood even if we're not in a fight… I… I… I shouldn't been a better Eve," he rambled to himself. The bell in his grip chimed more in protest of the shaking, almost like it was berating him for being hard on himself, like Kuro would have. He focused instead on the bell in his hand, thinking about what the lazy vampire would say.

" _Being so worked up is exhausting… relax and be soothed by my cuteness"_

He chuckled at that, "yeah Kuro would say something like that". Somehow being soothed by the mental image of Kuro's cat form rolling around, trying to cheer him up. Right, Kuro wouldn't blame him. If anything he would be irritated that Mahiru is still not over it. He should focus on finding him and bringing him home instead of brooding over it.

"But where should I start?" Mahiru frowned, eyes still on the bell.

Ever since Kuro's contract item was taken from him, the Eve felt little to no connection to his Servamp afterward. Usually he would know where Kuro is the moment their apart through their bond, but now there's a hollow feeling in his chest. Is it the contract item that keeps them connected? Mahiru knew that if it was destroyed then the Servamp would go with it, but for a Servamp to lose the item…

"Oi Shirota! If you want to look for your Servamp you should get moving now." His friend called out, beckoning him to the door. "Dodo is informing the police as we speak so hurry up before they get here."

"Alright I'm coming!"

* * *

He had to keep moving, he had to get away, get to Mahiru, to his siblings. His paws ached from weariness and glass still sticking to the slowly healing flesh, but he can't stop, they lost the man after many twist and turns through the alleyways, he might still be looking for them. Luckily he stopped leaving blood trails a while ago. If he just concentrated on moving and placing the pain to the furthest part of his mind he might make it.

" _think about the ramen… once I get home I'll have a bowl or five… ramen, Mahiru… cola…ultimate pillow…"_

 _"…Mahiru…"_

"K-Kuro?..."

His concentration broke.

The ground disappeared beneath Kuro as he suddenly came tumbling down with Taka falling out of his grip. The world blurred, it was hard to move. He isn't healing like he used to.

"Kuro?! Kuro?! Are you ok?!... Please say something!" she was frantically pawing the older cats shoulder, trying to get a response.

Blue, green orbs roamed over Kuro's dazed form worriedly. Stared into the clouded half lidded eyes for any response. Taka felt her throat constrict, she doesn't know what to do, she was scared, not only for herself but for Kuro too. After all he didn't have to help her or carry while running, any other cat would of abandoned her to her fate so they can save themselves, but Kuro didn't. She can't leave him like this if he didn't leave her, she has to watch out for him too.

"Kuro- what are you?"

Taka gasped when the black cat shakily rose, his glazed unseeing eyes staring ahead. He didn't answer. Just stumbling forward muttering a name. She caught a hint of urgency in his voice, she found her maw clamped down on the remaining leash, herding him to a cardboard box in the side of the alley. Kuro didn't put up any resistance as he was lead to the small shelter.

It would have been easier if the ground stopped shaking under his paws. The conscious part of Kuro knew that he's becoming delirious from blood loss. He didn't even knew that was possible. Its like his strength, stamina, and regeneration ability were decreased exponentially since he woke up in that basement. He didn't even resister that he was lying down on papery surroundings until he felt a crinkly, noisy blanket being dropped over him.

"Your too exhausted to walk now. Kuro please sleep for a while."

He wanted to argue against Taka, yet he couldn't speak or keep his eyes open. Crimson eyes wouldn't stop dropping closed and his small body was beginning to lax. The one time he wanted to stay awake he couldn't even do that. He felt a warm body cuddle up to him under the blanket.

"I-I don't think that he would find us under this newspaper… we'll be safe for now, s-so lets rest for now…" Taka sounded like she was trying more to convince herself than Kuro, but he couldn't help the small smile on his lips at the kids show at forced bravery.

"…Alright Taka…" Kuro murmured before succumbing to darkness.

* * *

"Damn! I lost them!" Hanzo spouted curses with each step he took. Leaving another fruitless alleyway.

Since the black one stopped leaving bloody paw prints a while ago they became harder to track, one cold trail after the other there was no sign of them. It made the black market dealer wonder how that cat can run so fast while carrying a kitten half it's size. Especially with the possibility of blood loss rolling in. The fact that it somehow regrew it's claws after he went through the trouble of declawing it. Maybe the darn cat it more trouble than it's worth and he's putting too much effort on looking for a corpse by now.

"Double damn! That little shit will cost me a lot of money if it goes and dies on me!" he sighed. Mauling it over in his mind Hanzo thought on how he could still get the money without having the merchandise. Then an idea came to mind, his face scrounged into a smirk. "well I can just find some random black cat on the street and sell that saying it's the red eyed on. I get paid, highest bidder gets their cat while I change my name and move to Fiji before the suckers know the difference."

With that he started to walk home, chuckling to himself, "Ha, it's foolproof!"

His mini bout of virtuosity was harshly interrupted by a tacky ringtone. Hanzo groaned knowing that it was his, he checked to see that it was an unknown number. His stomach dropped, dreading that it would be one of his ex wives or girlfriends coming back to haunt him for taking their money.

"Yallo…" he answered wearily.

" _Hello Shun Hanzo, it's a pleasure to talk to the man who's in possession of something very valuable."_ The voice sounded baritone and had an accent that indicates the one on the other line isn't Japanese.

"And to whom do I hold the honor of speaking to?" the black market merchant asked evenly. Working as long as he has in the underground he knows a dangerous client when he hears one and said each word with caution.

" _Names aren't important, what you should know is that I'm one of the top bidders. Now about that particular black cat-"_

"you could of waited for the bidding to end and if you're the top bidder by then you get your cat." He stroked his goatee nervously. "Just know to send your money-"

" _If you can guarantee you can hold your end of the bargain, which I have my doubts."_ The man interrupted with a calm threat, " _I've had informants investigation you and found that you lie and cheat on any way possible to get the money you need to support your run down life. You see don't like to be messed with and what I want is your guarantee that in two hours that red eyed cat will be in my possession"_

Hanzo felt a shiver run down his spin. This man was deadly, very deadly, but even so. "How much?"

" _I'll triple the pay of the highest betting"_

If possible his eyes bulged out of his sockets from the offer. Forget a vacation in Fiji! With that much money the dealer is set for life on the tropical island! "You got it! In two hours the cat is yours!" he cheered at the amount of money he'll have. "Just pray that the little money maker hasn't croaked before I get to it!"

" _Oh! And one more thing…"_

"And that is~"

" _The_ _ **owner**_ _of the cat if possible…"_ there was a pause before the man continued. A sadistic grin could almost be heard in his next words.

" _Kill him"_

* * *

 **Well here's my fourth chapter! TT-TT sorry I didn't update sooner but I was going through some serious writers block. Trust me I tried but I ended up typing and deleting a lot of parts because they either made no sence or was just bad! I couldn't even add Lawless because I just couldn't find how to add that to the plot! This is the final product, I hope I isn't too bad, I'm not too confident with it but I think the next chapter will be a bit better! Oh if anyone is wondering, Kuro and Mahiru have been apart for four hours.**

 **Thank you for staying with me faithful readers and don't forget to comment!**


	5. Chapter 5: Awaken the Sleeping Lion

**"Kuro~"**

It was dark. And he wanted to keep it that way.

 **"Waky~ Waky~"**

 _"If I keep my eyes closed long enough… Hopefully Black Cat will leave me alone… If I'm lucky…"_

He really didn't want to deal with the I told you so 's right now. He just wanted to sleep and stop thinking on what's going on right now. If he's fortunate the cat demon might eventually leave him alone if he kept ignoring it.

 **Bonk**

"Ouch! That hurts you know!" Kuro hissed, shooting up into sitting position, clutching his pained head with both hands, he was in human form. "so much for being left alone…"

 **"Nice of you to join the party!~"** He gave the cat demon, who was innocently holding a large toy hammer behind it's back, a sideways glare as he nursed his throbbing head. **"come now Kuro we both know that you can't ignore this situation we're in. After all~ you know who is looking for you as we speak~"**

"Mahiru...? Do you know where to find him?" Kuro turned fully towards the demon with a glint of hope in his crimson eyes. Black Cat frowned and shook it's head sadly.

 **"Unfortunately the moment your contract item was taken from you the bond weakened"** with a wave of its paw, some kind of blue and black striped candle appeared. The red flame flickered with fragility, like the smallest gust would snuff it out. **"Multiple factors play a role in your current weakened state… being away from your Eve and loosing the cat bell are one thing but there's another. Do you know what that is~?"**

Kuro didn't look the cat doll in the eye, instead he watched the flame wearily, he knew Black Cat will start lecturing him, he knew what he did wrong, he knew. But that doesn't stop him from always rejecting blood, he spent two months without drinking any. The demon always tried to sway him into at lest taking a little, but his stubborn self wouldn't be tempted. Now here he was, almost at the end of his rope, keeping his head down as he waited for Black Cat's verbal and mental abuse. He didn't expect a gentle weight on his shoulder.

 **"Honestly…"** the demon murmured, resting it's head on Kuro with its eyes closed. **"You act like a three year old who refuses to eat their vegetables when I'm supposed to be the childish one here… Your becoming a pain. You know that?"**

"So no lecture or mental torture?"

 **"Do you want me to~?"** Black Cat chucked suggestively, making Kuro cringe.

"I rather not…" he answered almost immediately and sighed. His gaze went from the cat doll resting on his arm to the flicking candle that repressed what was left of his strength. In retrospect it made Kuro afraid. He felt cold fear settle in him at the thought that if he did not find his Eve soon he might end up in the same immobile and vulnerable state he was in before Mahiru found him. Only this time the he might not be there to take him home. He shook his head slightly to rid himself of depressing thoughts. No he can't give in to this weakness when Mahiru, his siblings, and even Taka are depending on him. There has to be a way to make that flame flicker with vitality again, if only until he's reunited with his Eve. "I can't just sit here and wait for something to happen…" he said quietly to the only one who can help him in this situation.

 **"There is a way"** Black Cat gave a knowing smile and met his crimson eyes with it's own squiggled ones. **"I can hear your willingness to do anything for those you care about. Correct?** " it stated rather than asked.

Kuro didn't need to say anything his crimson eyes glowed with determination, something that the cat demon hasn't seen in such a long time. Black Cat fluidly jumped to it's feet and motioned for Kuro to follow. He sigh and untangled himself from his sitting position.

* * *

"Woohoo!" a man in his mid-twenties screeched loudly over the jets engine's, "gotta love me the solid ground! A moment longer and I would've gone stir crazy! Right Bethy?!" he faced an angry blue eyed, blond woman who had no qualms smacking her idiot partner in the face with a handheld laptop. He yelped and rolled around on the floor of the roof they landed on, in a high building, cradling his chick magnet of a face.

"Imbecile! What in that sex crazed mind of yours made you think it was a good idea to go behind my father's back and pull this stunt!" she raved. "I should use you a vampire feed when we get home!"

Elizabeth Huntsman. Cold, cunning, and isn't afraid to destroy everything in her path to achieve her own agenda. She's next in line to become an executive of C3's American branch and hopefully the president of it in a short amount of time. Her long blond hair is kept in a neat bun with her forelocks framing her face. She was wearing a zipped standard C3 jacket with high heeled boots.

"The hell Bethy! I thought you wanted to prove to your old man that you can handle tough missions, so what better way than taking on the most powerful of them all!" he grinned excitedly.

Her idiotic partner, well known as the clown of the organization, is none other than, if he wasn't such an expert weapons master he would be fired a long time ago, Chase Volter. Unlike Elizabeth, he's more laid-back and doesn't always think things through. He too is wearing standard jacket, but his was open revealing his red T-shirt and blue jeans, along with black sneakers. He has spiky brown hair with green eyes.

"Because, shit for brains, the C3 here doesn't agree with the methods of the American branch and if they find out we came he to take custody of a vampire under their watch, a Servamp no less, it would be another bad mark on our credit!" she hissed, "ever since they changed executive last year they're less willing to negotiate with us, so if we get caught it might mean a shut down on the American branch!"

"Oh…" Chase blinked widely, "wait you said if we get caught?... So…?" he shivered at the grin she flashed him.

"I never said we're leaving. Like you, I don't trust that sketchy dealer as well so I believe this is would be a matter of tactical intervention. Yes! If we succeed I would gain another asset for my rise to the top, and prevent a scandal if we work fast." her grin grew wider as she opened her handheld and started typing. Chase watched here wearily. "Two signatures with high concentration of Jin." Snapping it closed, she grabbed his arm and started to head for the roofs exit. "No time to waste!"

"Bethy wait! Don't tell me your planning to-?!" Chase asked cautiously, seeing the glint of ambition in her eyes.

"If the executive here can do it, so can I." Elizabeth replied evenly, giving a 'do not continue this conversation' glare. His heart jumped pleasantly. He didn't like her risking herself for her goals, but seeing those cold blue eyes light up with blithe it turn his conviction and morals into goo.

"Baby I love it when you're a woman on a mission… it's like I fell in love all over again."

A blush dusted her cheeks as she narrowed her eyes. "keep it in your pants," she deadpanned.

* * *

"Why are you suddenly being so helpful?..." he eyed the demon skeptically, "usually you would start prancing around, annoy me to no end, and be of no help at all…"

The demon chuckled, not denying it. **"I could say the same for you~! I've never seen Sleepy Ash of Sloth be this motivated since…"** the stitched up most tugged down t, the unruly tail scratching it's head, **"never~ my how time changes us all, or should I say influence from a certain someone."**

"Can't deal…" Kuro groaned, "is it really possible for me to regain some power without having to drink blood?... What's the catch?"

In honesty it was too good to be true that there is still energy left in him, it's worth a try though. Kuro feel into step with the demon and followed it through the domain of his own mind. Knowing Black Cat something irritating is bound to happen. The demon remained quiet as it skipped besides him for a while, then suddenly a bright blue path lined with candles with strawberries acting as flames appeared before them. Jumping slightly, Kuro loved around. He didn't notice the scenery change.

At the end of the path was a pedestal with a slice of blue glowing cake.

 **"Beyond this path is an alternative source of energy~ don't ask how I got it…"** Black Cat jumped on to Kuro's shoulder, it's voice shifting to a more serious one, **"the effects will last for one hour, I'm uncertain about the side effects but… They might not be pleasant."**

"How much power are we taking about?" Kuro was already walking to the pedestal, a small amount of apprehension simmered within him as he closed in to the only option he had left. Kuro could hear the demon hum besides his ear.

 **"Enough and much more~"**

Kuro gave the cake a hard look, hesitance was thrown out the window long ago, taking the utensil besides it he took a piece and brought it near his lips.

 **"There is no turning back from this…"**

For a moment the Servamp regarded it's warning. "I won't back down," Kuro said evenly as he bit the sweetly overpowering cake and swallowed.

That's all it took for Kuro to fade from the mindscape to the waking world, leaving Black Cat alone on the pedestal with the barely eaten cake, all alone. Stretching out its paws the stripped candle returned to them, it's red flame started to grow in light. Sighing the demon placed the candle onto the leftover cake, watching it flicker and change with an unreadable expression.

 **"Be safe… Sleepy Ash… Kuro…"**

With one last flicker the light turned black instead of red.

* * *

Taka flinched and whimpered in her sleep, trying to get away from the monster in her head. With a gasp she was startled back into consciousness. She took a look around, to her surprise it was dark and warm. Strange she didn't remember the sun being near setting when they fell asleep. Where was Kuro?

She hard a growl, and the darkness around her moved.

The kitten went rigid, she wasn't in a box anymore. Timorously she brushed he paw against the black walls, feeling that it's fur and warm. Taka squeaked when it moved, revealing that they were large forelegs. Another growl, shakenly she looked up and tried really hard not to whimper in fear, the roof was hairy, but there was a large muzzle with huge, sharp white teeth that can take her whole at any moment.

Gulping, Taka slowly backed away. She doesn't know to where as long as she's away from those gleaming teeth of the creature surrounding her. Carefully she backed away, shuffling one paw after another.

 **Crackle**

Wincing Taka glanced behind to the crippled remnants of the newspaper blanket under her hind leg. The growling grew stronger as the black creature raised its head to look at her through the unruly mane.

The eyes of a predator.

If anything Taka was shaking harder when this blood red eyes met hers, they were terrifying like looking death in the face.

* * *

"How much longer Bethy, my feet are killin me?"

"we've only been walking for fifteen minutes. Now shut up and let me concentrate." Not once did Elizabeth look at him as she stayed transfixed on the blinking dot on the screen, with furrowed brows. "tch, damn. That Servamp should be around here somewhere, it's already has been six hours so it must be very weak at this point."

Suddenly Chase stopped leaving her to walk a couple of paces further from him. His eyes narrowed too the alley he was facing.

"Chase?" she tried to look into the alley, only to be thrown against the wall, out of the alleys view. "Hey wha-" he placed his hand over her mouth and placed a finger between his lips. Slowly, he removed his hand and covertly looked from the corner of the wall, into the alley, with focused eyes.

"Bethy, what's the targets animal form again?" the weapons master whispered.

"A small, black Cat with an abnormal tail. Do you see it?" Elizabeth whispered back.

"Because that's not a cat." He grinned like a child who got a new toy as he reached for his coat pocket. He licked his lips.

"Tonight we hunt lion"

* * *

 **I know I have no excuse for such a late update and I'm terribly sorry for it! I did promise that I'll end this story with Kuro being safely with Mahiru again and I swear I will! I would add that all of this is taking place a year after the fight with Tsubaki and some implications to the Touma arc so changes happened with Japan's C3 like Touma getting replaced with someone I'm not going to reveal right now, but your welcome to guess.**

 **Well here's chapter 5 and I'm about one or two chapters away from the finale! Yahoo! In honesty I was debating with myself on whether or not to turn Kuro into a lion because it might complicate things, but then I thought about adding in some American C3 members and having a fight scene. Oh and Kuro is an average sized lion, if you haven't guessed, but his power boost will come at a price which you'll find out in the next chapter. Next chapter the rest of the Servamps will show up and help Mahiru bring back Kuro so stay tuned!**

 **Don't forget to leave comment, favorites and follows! Until next time! ⁼̴̶̤̀ω⁼̴̶̤́**


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